Some homeowners are building from the ground up. Others are reworking a kitchen, finishing a renovation, or wondering whether one room needs a fresh eye. Mudan Interior Design offers six interior design services for homeowners in Bethesda and across the Washington, DC metropolitan area — described below, so you can begin with the one closest to your project.
18+ YEARS OF PRACTICE · NCIDQ CERTIFIED · LEED AP · BETHESDA, MD
Next, we translate understanding into direction. Together we clarify priorities, distinguish genuine needs from wishes, and establish the scope, budget framework, timeline, and any phasing that makes sense for your family. When appropriate, this is where space planning begins — studying how each room should function, how spaces relate to one another, and how the layout supports the way you live, all before any decorative choices are made.
The preliminary plan also lets us validate the investment early, so the project moves forward with realistic expectations and far fewer surprises later. We believe a design should be both functionally sound and financially realistic before aesthetics enter the conversation.
With a sound plan in place, the home’s visual character begins to take shape. Through conversation, material references, and professional guidance, we develop a design direction that feels authentic to both your home and your family — then we develop it in detail. Depending on scope, this phase includes cabinetry and millwork, finishes and materials, lighting, plumbing fixtures, hardware, furnishings, textiles, window treatments, and the details that tie a home together.
Nothing is selected in isolation; every element is evaluated against the whole, so the finished result feels cohesive rather than assembled. You can see how this comes together across our recent projects.
As the design is finalized, we prepare the drawings, schedules, and specifications that communicate our design intent clearly to everyone who will bring it to life. This is where thorough documentation earns its keep — reducing misunderstandings, supporting accurate pricing, and preventing the costly changes that arise when decisions are unclear. We collaborate closely with your architect, builder, and contractors, review shop drawings, clarify intent, and help the many interdependent decisions stay coordinated.
Our documentation communicates design intent and supports the licensed professionals on your team; it does not replace architectural or engineering drawings.
This is the phase clients often find most demanding on their own — and most reassuring to hand off. For full-service projects, we manage procurement and its considerable behind-the-scenes work: verifying every specification, placing and tracking orders, coordinating vendors and deliveries, reviewing quality, and resolving the inevitable backorder or damaged shipment before it becomes your problem.
As construction and installation proceed, we remain involved on site, protecting the design’s integrity and adapting thoughtfully when site conditions or availability require it. Our aim is for you to enjoy watching your home come together rather than managing the details behind it.
Finally, furniture is installed, the home is styled, and the last details are resolved. We review everything against the original vision to ensure the finished home delivers what we set out to create.
For many clients, completion marks the beginning of a longer relationship rather than the end of one — as families grow and homes evolve, they return for the next room, the next project, or simply for advice. We measure success not only by the finished home, but by the trust built along the way.
Trust is earned through consistency, not claims. We are a boutique, founder-led practice, which means you collaborate directly with Esther Chi from concept through completion — an NCIDQ-certified and Maryland-licensed interior designer, LEED Accredited Professional, and Pratt Institute graduate, with experience that includes Champalimaud Design and more than eighteen years of residential practice.
Complex projects inevitably encounter the unexpected. What our clients trust is that when those moments arrive, they are met with composure and a clear path forward rather than confusion. We work with homeowners throughout the Washington, DC metropolitan area.
“We never felt pressured but rather supported by her professionalism. She would relate to us the pros and cons of any key decisions we had to make.”
“Building a custom home involved hundreds of decisions, and we quickly realized how valuable it was to have Esther guiding us through the process. She brought structure and organization to every phase, making even the most overwhelming decisions feel manageable.”
Still deciding? These are the questions homeowners ask us most often before we begin.
As early as possible — ideally before construction drawings are finalized. Involving a designer during the planning phase, rather than after walls are up, is when we can most improve layouts, lighting, storage, and cabinetry, and prevent the costly changes that come from decisions made too late. Even for furnishing-only projects, earlier involvement means a more cohesive result.
As involved as you’d like to be. Some clients enjoy participating in every decision; others prefer to rely on our guidance and stay focused on the choices that matter most to them. We adapt to your preferences while keeping the same level of organization and communication either way. What we ask of every client is timely feedback at key moments, since many decisions depend on earlier ones.
Absolutely. We collaborate regularly with architects, builders, and contractors — including professionals our clients have already chosen — and we’re comfortable joining a team that’s already in place. Clear, respectful collaboration is one of the ways we protect both the design and the schedule.
It depends entirely on scope. A focused furnishing project unfolds over a few months; a custom home or whole-home renovation can span a year or more, much of it running alongside construction. During the planning stage we establish a realistic timeline so you know what to expect before committing.
Yes. When it supports your budget, timeline, or long-term goals, we often recommend thoughtful phasing — completing the project in stages while keeping the overall vision intact, so each phase contributes to a coherent whole rather than a series of disconnected updates.
If you’re planning a custom home, a renovation, a kitchen or bath, or a fully furnished home, the best first step is simply a conversation.
The most rewarding projects begin with understanding on both sides. When you’re ready, we’d be glad to start that conversation and help you take the next step with confidence.